ABOUT PUFFINS

Puffins are cool! With those big colorful beaks, dark soulful eyes & a penguin-like appearance, it's hard not to like them. Puffins can typically be found in the very chilly waters of the North Atlantic, in places like Iceland and Norway. Lucky for us then that not far from Boothbay Harbor is the southernmost Atlantic Puffin colony in all of North America – Eastern Egg Rock.

In Maine, Puffins are rare, and are actually listed as a Threatened Species. On Eastern Egg Rock, however, there are about 90 nesting pairs, along with perhaps a thousand pairs of Terns and other unusual seabirds. During the summertime, Puffins come ashore to raise their young, and the female lays her egg in a crevice under the tumble of boulders that line the shoreline of Eastern Egg Rock Once the chicks are full grown – usually by mid-August – all the Puffins leave their nesting island and fly out to sea to spend the winter. And they don't come back to land til next April.

ABOUT THE TOUR

A Puffin-watching cruise is kind of like an ocean-going treasure hunt… you just never know what's going to show up! As we travel through Boothbay Harbor and search for all the marvelous sea creatures which call this area their home, seals often surface near the boat, or can be found sunning themselves on the rocks. A loon flies by. A Minke Whale surprises everyone with its sheer size and bulk. And, of course there are lighthouses, which we know as permanent treasures here on the New England coast.

As the boat gets to Eastern Egg Rock, everyone is up and looking around for those pint-sized little Puffins. We scan the rocks and the skies, and then someone shouts, and lo and behold there is a group of Puffins sitting in the water, bobbing up and down, perhaps 50 or 60 feet from the boat. More fly by, and soon someone spots a bunch sitting on the granite boulders along shore.

We slowly circle the seven-acre island once or twice, and dozens of large Eider Ducks spring from the water into flight. Laughing Gulls cry out with their loud, cackling vocalizations. And more puffins and their funny little cousins, the Black Guillemots, whiz past us, going about 40 miles an hour.

When its time to start back, the excitement on the boat is still high. Success! We saw a bird that very few Mainers have ever seen – the ocean-going, charismatic Atlantic Puffin…

"Captain Fish's puffin cruises are wonderful experiences for many reasons, not the least of which is the terrific scenery and the miles of coastline between Boothbay Harbor and Eastern Egg Rock. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the trip is that since the boat travels in deep waters the opportunity to see unusual wildlife like a minke whale or maybe even a finback whale is always there, in addition to offshore species of birds like northern gannets and petrels. But the real treat is in seeing the busy and exciting colony of Atlantic Puffins at their southernmost nesting island in all of North America. National Audubon Society is proud of the relationship we've had with the Fish family in collaborating on these eco-tourism cruises ever since the puffins were restored to Eastern Egg Rock, back in the 1980's, and we've been able to serve tens of thousands of people since then on these wildlife explorations."

"The puffin watching trip to Eastern Egg Rock with Captain Fish aboard the Island Lady is a delightful and informed wildlife watching experience. Audubon is proud to have our naturalists on board to provide passengers with insight into the lives of puffins and other Maine seabirds. "

~ Stephen Kress, Director, Project Puffin

To learn more about the amazing puffins, visit Audubon' Project Puffin Visitor Center

PRICES AND SCHEDULE

See at first hand the National Audubon Society's success in reestablishing a Puffin Colony on Eastern Egg Rock. Truly a magnificent "Seafari" for all nature lovers with seals, blue heron, an occasional whale and other coastal wildlife along the way.

approx 4 hrs
This nature safari will take you to see puffins at eastern
egg rock and many other sea birds. A pelagic bird lovers
delight. Then venture to Maine’s prime feeding grounds
in search of whales. Narrated by marine biologist, food,
grill, snacks, drinks, full bar aboard.

CAP'N FISH'S "PUFFIN-VISION"

DIRECTIONS

WHY CHOOSE US for the Best Puffin Cruise?

GO GREEN

Cap'n Fish's operates the cleanest fleet on the coast of Maine, if you are as concerned about the environment as we are, choose Cap'n Fish's for your Puffin's Cruise – the only vessel that is Tier 2 compliant.

With new power plants installed for the 2012 season will provide immediate air quality benefits, reducing ozone precursors (NOx + VOC) & particulate matter by 1 ton per year, powered by two new Tier 2 compliant 4- stroke diesel engines that achieve immediate emission reductions beyond what is required by current regulations. Our goal is to reduce diesel emissions from our vessel to benefit the air quality for a better tomorrow.

Our vessel is powered by modern 4 cycle diesel engines designed to run clean, provinding a smokeless fume free ride that is environment friendly.

PUFFINS AND MORE
Cap'n Fish's offers a puffin safari that covers over twice the coastline of any other national audubon narrated puffin cruise. On a Cap'n Fish's Cruise, we see lighthouses; Brunt Island, Ram Island, and Pemaquid Lighthouse. In addition to passing by Spruce Point, Ocean Point, Fishermans Island, Squirrel Island, Seal Rocks, Boothbays Outer Islands and more.

STABLE RIDE
Cap'n Fish's offer the most stable riding ships to cruise on as they are the largest vessels to cruise to Eastern Egg Rock.

VESSEL SPEED
Cap'n Fish's has the newest, most modern, and fastest vessels to cruise on.

CAPTAINS & CREW
Cap'n Fish's onboard marine biologists & naturalists have a vast knowledge of the marine life found on the gulf of Maine and narration is done by National Audubon Directors.

BOOTHBAY HARBOR
There is more to do before or after the cruise when coming to Boothbay Harbor to see the puffins such as: The Botanical Gardens, Golfing, Shopping, Dining, Theater, Aquarium, and much more than other depature points.

THE ORIGINAL
Cap'n Fish's was the first and the original cruise to see puffins on the midcoast.

PRICES AND SCHEDULE

See at first hand the National Audubon Society's success in reestablishing a Puffin Colony on Eastern Egg Rock. Truly a magnificent "Seafari" for all nature lovers with seals, blue heron, an occasional whale and other coastal wildlife along the way.

Captain Fish's Trip Calendar and Ticket Booth

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Terms and conditions

REFUND POLICY:

Refund/Rescheduling Policy
Passengers may receive a refund up to 48 hours before departure minus a $10 per reservation fee.You may reschedule to another whale watch date if there are any dates available the same season as the purchased ticket. No refunds within 48 hours of departure. (standby ticket cannot be used on whale/puffin combo without upgrade fee)

Refund/Rescheduling Policy MUSIC CRUISES: NO REFUNDS. You may reschedule to another music cruise date if there are any dates available the same season as the purchased ticket.

There are no refunds for not seeing whales; a standby ticket will be issued that can be used on another whale watch, or any of our other cruises except music cruises and whale/puffin combo which requires an upgrade fee.

There are no refunds for motion sickness.

No refunds for passengers that book cruises and fail to check directions on brochure, website and advertising stating that we are located in Boothbay Harbor Maine.
No refunds for passengers that switch reservation to a later date, as in only original reservation date can be cancelled, and this original reservation must be cancelled at least 48 hours before departure

Should vessel have to turn around and come in early you will be given a standby ticket for another cruise, not a refund.

Other Policies
Activity may be cancelled due to severe weather.

Activity usually runs in rain and moderate weather, but the seller may cancel the activity up to an hour before start time in the event of severe or unsafe weather conditions. In the rare situation the seller must cancel the event prior to departure, ticket-holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability), receive credit for a future event, or receive a full refund.

"WARNING: There are substantial risks and dangers associated with ship transportation, including but not limited to, entering/exiting the ship, adverse weather, rough seas, tripping, falling, and collision with other ships or objects, which may result in serious bodily injury or even death, and/or damge to property. The holder of this ticket agrees to assume such risks and dangers and further agrees to release Cap'n Fish's Cruises, R.N. FISH ANS SON INC., HARBOR PRINCESS LLC, CPPLLC its parents, subsidiaries and affiliated entities (including their directors, officers, and employees) from all liability, claims or demands arising from bodily injury or damage to property. Passengers are prohibited from bringing coolers, alcoholic beverages, illicit drugs, or weapons aboard the vessel. Cap'n Fish's Cruises reserves the right to search passengers and carry-ons."